Barefoot house-shoe.



F. .F. SKINNER.

BAREFOOT HOUSE SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEII. 1916.

PatentedJan. 16, 1917.

AITORNEV nnroo'r HoUsn-sHon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented dl'an. 1o, W1 7...

' Application filed June 17, 1916. Serial no. 104,260.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SKINNEB, a cltizen of the United States,residing at Pine Bluff, in the county of Jefferson and State ofArkansas, have invented a new and useful Barefoot House-Shoe, of ,whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved shoe of the barefoot type,adapted to be worn indoors, for relieving the foot of the pressure andstrain incident to wearing the usual walking shoe.

An object of the present invention is to provide a house shoe of suchconstruction as to practically eliminate all friction surface, thebinding or cram ing of the tarsal and metatarsal bones, an of the jointsof the foot, and the overheating of the foot, with all the resultingevils'there'of, and to provide a shoe which permits the toes, and allother parts of the foot, the same freedom of action as when walkingbarefoot.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a shoe of thischaracter, which has but relatively few parts and straps, which isstrong and durable, which may be economically manufactured and sold,which has a heel strap producing pressure on the antero-post eriorsurfaces of the ankle only .and noton the arch of the foot, as is commonin various types of shoes, and which may be collapsed, so that a pair ofthese shoes may be folded together into compact form for convenience instoring, and v in carrying them for traveling purposes.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, as well .as the above,willbe hereinafter more particularly brought out in thefollowing-specific description of thepresent preferred embodiment of theinvention, the

r a same being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein I pFigure 1 1s a perspective new of a house shoe, embodying the featuresof'this-invem tion. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional. view, takenthrough the sole and one end' of one of the crossed front straps of theshoe, showing one means forsecuring the strap to the shoe. Fig. 3' is atransverse section through thesame. section, taken through the crossedportions of the front straps, showing the'application v of a fastenerfor holding the same together.

Referring to this drawing, 10 des1gnates the sole of the shoe adapted toreceive the foot, and which is preferably given the gen- Fig. 4 is atransverse eral form of the bottom of the foot. foot is adapted to-restupon this foot sole 10 in relaxed position, as the sole 10 has no' Theseloops 11 and 12 are preferably formed of lengths of strap leather,

which are overturned and have their opposite ends secured, in superposedrelation,

upon the upper face of the sole 10, adjacent to the edge of the same.These loops 11 may, of course, be secured. in any other manner than ashere shown.-

An ankle strap 13 is threaded loosely through these loops 11 and 12, andis adapted to encircle ,the ankle and to be drawn tight thereagainst toexert a pressure against the anterio-posterior surfaces of the ankle, tohold the loops 11- and 12 against the sides, and rear portion, of theankle, and thus hold the heel part of the shoe in place. A buckle, orother suitable device, 14 connects the free ends of the ankle strap 13together and admits of the adjustment of the strap to fit the ankle. Itis, of course, understood that the buckle 14 may be of any type, and maybe substituted by any form offasten er.

- The front part of the sole 10 is held against the sole of the foot bya pair of crossed straps 15. Each strap -15 is preferably secured at itsopposite ends upon the upper face, and adjacent the opposite lateraledges, of the sole 10 by stitching, or the like, as shownparticularly inFigs. 2 and 3. The stitching is let into the under upwardly thereabove,to accommodate the front part of the foot therebeneath. The straps 15are so secured ,to the sole 10 that their intermediate-portions engageone upon the other, and cross each other. As shown side of the sole 10,and lies in a slot .16 formed by slitting the under side of the sole inFigs. 1 and 4, it is preferred to secure thesecrossed portions of thestraps 15 by means of a rivet 17, or other fastening device, whichpreferably has a pair of spaced apart prongs 18, which are clenchedagainst the lower face of the lowermost strap 15 to hold the straps fromrelative turning movement about the rivet.

As the strap 13 engages directly around the ankle, it does not pressdown upon the archof the foot and the tarsal bones are left free. Thearrangement of the straps 15 provides ample means for securing the frontof the sole 10 to the foot, and does not cramp nor bind either the toes,or metatarsal bones. The ends of the crossed straps 15 are spaced apart,to provi ie openings therebetween and at the opposite sides of the sole10, through'which may project the toe joints, so that no pressure isexerted upon the same.

The house shoe of this invention may be Worn with the foot covered, orwith the foot bare, as there are no parts to engage between the toes. I

When it is desired to secure a pair of these shoes together for packingaway when traveling, or the like, the ankle strap 13 may i be Withdrawnfrom the loops 11 and 12, and

.the loops and crossed straps 15 may be collapsed or flattened downagainst the sole 10. -It is readily understood that a pair of the shoesmay thus be placed one upon the other, and that they occupy relativelysmall space. The ankle straps 13 may be utilized for encircling theintermediate portions of the soles 10 to hold the shoes fiat againsteach other.

What is claimed is v A bare-foot shoe comprising a sole extending fromheel to toe, straps secured to the sides of the sole, for connecting thetoe portion of the sole to the foot, flexible loops secured in spacedapart relation at the sides and back of the heel portion and extendingupwardly, said loops being open from top to bottom and capable of beingfolded fiat upon the sole without interference one with the other, and adetachable ankle strap threaded through said loops and adapted toencircle the ankle to retain the loops in extended position and the heelportion upon thefoot, whereby upon removal of the ankle strap the loopsand the toe straps may be collapsed upon the sole, and a pair of suchshoes placed one upon the other with the sides of the soles remote fromthe straps and loops outermost, and the ankle straps utilized forsecuring a pair of theshoes in superimposed relation, the ankle strapsbe ing passed about the two shoes at the intermediate portion thereof.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.-

FRANK FINNIS SKINNER.

Witnesses: l

' R. W. HARRIS,

S. F. VAUEX.

